Jim and Judy Stofer donated land for a new Port O’Connor Library in honor of Preston Rose Austin.

The Library Friends Spaghetti Dinner on April 25 brought together a varied group of excited residents who heard about plans for a modern library complex with a goal of enriching the lives of all segments of our population.

Port O’Connor Elementary School students brightened up the walls with their drawings of what they think the new library will look like inside. Friends of the Seadrift Library, who recently built their own library, attended to offer their support and encouragement. Commissioner Kenny Finster and Judge Nancy Pomykal spoke and joined in reminding everyone of the unlimited potential we have when we all work together for the common good.

The dinner celebrated several important milestones that have been reached which pave the way for serious fund raising to start now.

The important factors are:

• Calhoun County has agreed to allow the Friends to redevelop existing county land on the corner of 6th and Main as the library location.

• Mr. Jim Stofer and his wife, Judy, were at the dinner representing the Stofer-McNeel trust, and donated additional land adjoining the county land enlarging the footprint of usable land for the project.

• A site plan and concept drawing of the library have been donated by Burch Group Architects and architect Katie Burch.

The Friends of the Port O’Connor Library is determined to raise the money needed to build and equip the new library with the help of the community. When it is finished, the library will be donated to the county who will assume all financial responsibility including salaries, insurance, utilities, and upkeep.

Friends of the Library Art Contest Winners Awarded

Jaydin VanDusen, Tanner Pittman, Luke & Sarah Doggett

All grades at POC Elementary used their imaginations to dream about what our new Library Learning Center will look like. Spurred on by images of new libraries in a power point presentation put together by the art teacher and librarian, the children drew colorful pictures with lots of computers, huge fish tanks and even a mother’s room for crying babies. The art work was displayed at the Friends Spaghetti Dinner on April 25 and awards were presented at the Open House PTO meeting, May 6.